Director X has already cemented his legacy as one of the most celebrated music video directors of the past 25 years, with videos like The Rascalz’ “Northern Touch”, N.O.R.E.’s “Banned From TV”, and more recently, DJ Khaled and Drake’s “POPSTAR” video featuring Justin Bieber. Then in 2018 he blessed the big screen with his readaptation of the 1972 classic Super Fly.
Now, the Brampton native is set to take his impressive resume to the small screen with his new original scripted series Robyn Hood. Greenlit by Global and written by award-winning screenwriter Chris Roberts, the “near-fi action drama” is an adaptation of the legendary tale Robin Hood. Produced by Boat Rocker in partnership with Corus Entertainment, the eight-episode series begins production this Summer in Toronto and Hamilton.
For Director X, the story of greed, poverty and the fight for justice is very relevant to what’s happening in the world today.
“This is the perfect time to modernize Robin Hood”, he explains. “We are currently living in the gilded age 2.0, where billionaires have way too much and the poor have far too little. We need someone to fight for justice! In the city of New Nottingham at the corner of Sherwood and Forest lives Robyn Hood and her friends. They have a plan… to rob from the rich and give to the poor. Woooo!!!! Feels good just to read it don’t it!?! Let’s gooooo!”
Robyn Hood is set around young hip-hop artist Robyn Loxley, whose masked hip-hop group, The Hood, uses inventive videos and anti-authoritarian message address social issue plaguing the city (think the real life group “Pussy Riot”). A resident of the working class Sherwood Towers in New Nottingham, where the cost of living has widened the gap between the rich and the poor, Robyn must go up against property developer John Prince and The Sheriff of New Nottingham to keep her home and family from being overrun by greed.
The concept is exciting, not only because Robin Hood is being interpreted as a female lead character, but the hip-hop elements, youth and fight against injustice already seems like a raw, edgy and welcomed addition to Canada’s TV landscape.
Robyn Hood is set to premiere in 2023 on Global.
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